Start with a Natural Pastel Mood Board

Start off the party planning with a Pinterest mood board to visually store your ideas. Use the board to organize your vision for the gathering, from the color palette to the food display to the place settings.

The key to curating a whimsical woodland brunch is to balance soft colors with natural elements. We chose a color palette that uses pastel green, pink, and yellow, grounded in light earth tones. Our mood board also features many natural materials, like wood, wicker, and linen, to round out the grounded feel.

Laurey Glenn

Finish the Whimsical Garden Look

Now that you have an idea of what the party should look like, identify what you already have to create the look and fill in the gaps with borrowed, homemade, or thrifted items. Using a few unique pieces—like dishes that look like cabbage or flowers—will make this party truly memorable. If you have a natural wood table, use only a simple white or cream linen table runner to show off the grain. Decorate the table with woodland-inspired centerpieces and cascading taper candles in pastel colors. Mismatching plates and glasses will add to the whimsical look, so consider thrifting some vintage glassware for the party.

Carson Downing

The Menu Details

The great thing about a garden brunch is that the food can consist of little bites that don't take much time to make. We recommend versatile dishes like charcuterie nachos, a carrot ribbon salad, granola cups with yogurt and fruit, and a type of baked good, like muffins or cinnamon rolls.

Make sure to have drinks ready as guests arrive. A Pimm's Cup pairs the meal's theme—garden bites—with a refreshing drink that can be made in large batches. If the Pimm's Cup isn't your speed, we also recommend a white peach sangria. Like everything else on the menu, it's fresh, stunning, and endlessly customizable.

To prepare the charcuterie nachos, start with a bed of kettle chips or your favorite plain-flavored chip, top it with your cheese of choice and prosciutto, then bake in the oven for a few minutes. Finish it off by topping the warm concoction with anything you'd like. Add extra cheese, deli meat, pickles, olives, and anything else that sounds good, then top it all with hot honey and fig jam. Charcuterie nachos are easy for guests to pick at and are a filling appetizer.

Carrot ribbon salads can be prepared in many different ways, but they all start with thin ribbons of carrot. You can top and dress the carrots any way you'd like, but we recommend using cucumbers, feta, fresh herbs, and carrot top pesto for a light spring salad.

Add a few baked goods or true-to-fashion brunch items to the menu as well. Granola cups with yogurt and fruit are quick, easy, and nutritious, and cinnamon rolls are sure to be a hit. For dessert, try an olive oil cake with peaches and cream for a fresh and succulent end to the meal.

Spring Dinner Recipes That Make the Most of Fresh, In-Season Produce

Jacob Fox

Make a Flower Bouquet Bar

For a quick and easy activity after brunch, set up a bouquet-making station. Buy a bunch of inexpensive stems from your local flower market or grocery store (be sure to get enough for all of your guests) and lay them out on a table with deconstructed paper bags, scissors, and rubber bands. Everyone will be able to select a few stems to create their own beautiful bouquet to bring home.